


Of Greetings and Goodbyes

by cadetchekov



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-17 17:43:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/870220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cadetchekov/pseuds/cadetchekov
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard McCoy just moved to California with his daughter Joanna, but urgently needs to find a caretaker for her while he works long hours. A co-worker recommends a kid named Pavel Chekov, someone Leonard is sure he's heard of before...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Greetings and Goodbyes

_“Pasha! Pasha! Pavel, get down from that tree.”_

_“Nyet!”_

_“Come down, Pasha, the sitter will be here in a few minutes.”_

_Pavel Chekov frowned, that was why he was in the tree in the first place. “I am five years old! I do not need a babysitter.”_

_Anna Chekov smiled. “I know, honey, it’s just in case.”_

_Chekov’s little brows furrowed. “In case of vhat?”_

_“In case an oversized bird decides to come and steal you away.” Her smile grew when Pavel giggled._

_“Zat doesn’t make any sense, mama.”_

_“I think it makes all the sense. Now get down here, it’s starting to get chilly.”_

_\-- // --_

_The door rang and Anna got up to answer it, Pavel followed close, but hid behind her legs when she opened the door._

_“Oh, you must be Leonard! Come in!” The boy -- Leonard -- walked in. He was tall and Pavel didn’t like how far up he had to look to see Leonard. Anna took a step to the side, revealing her son, who looked at her, feeling betrayed. “Leonard, this is Pavel, Pasha, this is Leonard.”_

_Leonard got down on one knee. “Hey there, little man.”_

_“Hi.”_

_Leonard smiled, and for some reason Pavel felt like smiling, too, and so he did._

_\-- // --_

_“So, kid, what do you like to do?”_

_Pavel crossed his arms, annoyed. “Don’t call me kid.”_

_“I’m sorry, Pavel.” Leonard seemed honest, so Pavel uncrossed his arms. “What was that your mother called you?”_

_Pavel smiled. “Pasha.”_

_“Pasha?”_

_“Eet ees a nice vay to say Pavel.”_

_“Pasha. I like that, would it be okay if I called you Pasha, too?”_

_Pavel could be very well be glowing that moment, only his family called him that, having someone else do it would be like having a friend._

_“Only eef you let me call you Lyonya.”_

_“Is that a nice way to say Leonard?” Pavel nodded. “Pasha, I would be hurt if you didn’t call me that.”_

_\-- // --_

_“Pavel, please stop crying; you’re bothering the other passengers and being very rude.” Pavel didn’t stop, he didn’t care about any of that. “Pavel Andreievich Chekov, stop crying right now!” He didn’t stop crying, but he stopped making loud noises, and it broke Anna’s heart even more when her son suffered quietly._

_“Honey, please stop crying.”_

_“I don’t vant to go back to Russia. I vant to stay vith Lyonya.”_

_“I know-”_

_“You didn’t ewen let me say goodbye.”_

_“I know, Pasha, and I am sorry, but it was better like this.”_

_Pavel didn’t acknowledge her apology, crying silently until he fell asleep. He clung to his pink stuffed dog as he dreamed about his Lyonya. When he woke up, he forgot he was mad with his mama, so he let her hold him as he cried again._

 

* * *

 

**_~~~~~~TWELVE YEARS LATER~~~~~~~~_ **

 

Leonard McCoy had closed his eyes for around five seconds before someone sat beside him. “Nurse Chapel.” He had only been working with her for two weeks but already knew her perfume well enough to recognize her without having to open his eyes. “You wanted to talk to me?”

“Yes. Have you found a babysitter for Joanna yet?”

He sighed, “No. And the woman that’s watching her after the daycare keeps reminding me she can’t do this for much longer.”

She smiled. “I found someone for you.”

Leonard opened his eyes and looked at her hopefully. “You did?” Leonard McCoy and his daughter had moved to California a month ago, he started working at the hospital two weeks after that. He looked for a good baby sitter, and many people had shown up, he just couldn’t trust them enough. It sounded silly, but he was waiting for someone he’d look at and know it was right.

“Yeah, my neighbours are moving away and the kid who took care of their twins is going to be free.”

“Chapel, I think I could kiss you right now.” To be honest, he was pretty much giving up on the ‘right’ thing. If the kid had taken care of twins they wouldn’t have a problem with Joanna.

Chapel smiled and handed him a piece of paper. “He said you could call him anytime.”

“Wait, ‘he?’ It’s a guy?” All of Leonard’s hopes left his body at once. He hated the idea of some random guy spending so much time alone with his little girl.

“Yes, but don’t dismiss him just yet, all right? Enjoy the rest of your break, Leonard.” And with one last smile she left him alone again.

Leonard was ready to throw the paper away when the name on it caught his attention. It was oddly familiar; he was sure he heard it before but didn’t know where.

Putting the number in his pocket, he got up. It couldn’t hurt to give this Pavel Chekov a call just to make sure.


End file.
